Conservatives Theresa Villiers Article

Dated 14th April 2009

Theresa Villiers, MP for Chipping Barnet, has backed local residents in New Barnet following the latest development in the battle between supermarket giants ASDA and TESCO, in which planning permission was granted for a Tesco Express store on Victoria Road in front of the proposed ASDA site.
Despite the original application for the Tesco Express being refused by the Chipping Barnet Planning Committee after it expressed strong reservations concerning pedestrian safety, traffic congestion and lack of parking, the local decision was overturned on appeal last week by a government inspector, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. The Government's decision means a second Tesco Express store will open in New Barnet in addition to the existing one.

Theresa Villiers MP said, "I think this is a case of "good news and bad news". I think the local council had sensible and important reasons for turning down the application for a further Tesco Express because there is already one nearby and the extra cars generated by a new store will intensify local traffic congestion problems. Lack of additional parking facilities for the express store will also mean more cars trying to park in overcrowded and narrow residential roads nearby."

"That said, adding yet another grocery retail outlet to New Barnet makes the case for a big new superstore from either Asda or Tesco even weaker. With several small retailers and a branch of Sainsbury's on the spot, Asda and Waitrose supermarkets relatively close, and now not just one but two Tesco Express stores in the New Barnet area, my constituents have made it very clear to me that local people already have a wide range of choices when it comes to their weekly shop and that they neither need nor want a new supermarket in the area with all the congestion problems it would generate. That is why I am opposing Asda's planning application and will oppose one from Tesco if they submit it."